Venetian blind hold-down bracket



Oct. 21, 1952 H. NELSON VENETIAN BLIND HOLD-DOWN BRACKET Filed Feb. 4,1947 Zmnentor HARRY NELSON (Ittornegs Patented Oct. 21, 1952 I a2,614384 *VENETIAN nLmnnoLn-nown BRACKET Harry Nelson, NewYoi-k, N. Y.,assignor to Lorentzen Hardware ,Mfg. ,,Corp., New YorkL N.Y.,acorporation of New York Application February 4, 1947, Serial No.726,355

This invention relates to a construction, for

holding down a Venetian blind when it is fully extended, to prevent theblindfrom slapping in the wind. Embraced" within the invention is ah-oldadown bracket formounting on the window frame to hold the] blinddown, the bracket being adapted for both inside and outside mounting ofthe blind. Aninside mounting is one in which the blind is nested withinthe window opening, the hold-down brackets being usually mounted on thesill of the window. An

outside*mounting is one in which the blind is notnested within thewindow opening; usually the end of the slats overlie the faces of thewindow jambs, and the hold-down brackets are usually mounted on the faceof the window frame which facesthe room. v

Various hold-down constructions and brackets are already known, one formnow in extensive usebeing that shown in Lorentzen U. S. Patent 2,298,892dated October 13, 1942. The holddown 'bracketof thatpatent can bemounted 2 Claims. (01. 2485-267) with-a-ll'parts of the bracketpositioned close to the side of a window jamb; and, asicompared; tocertain prior brackets, it effected considerable improvementfromthestandpoint of interfering with dusting and cleaning andlikelihood oflcatching on the clothing of persons moving close. to thewindow. However, the bracket of that patent is somewhat moreadvantageous 'when the blind ismounted inside them it is when the blindis mounted outside.

1A hold-down bracket which is very desirablefrom the standpoint offreedom from any substantial tendencyto snag dusters, wiping cloths,

andclothing, is shown in my U. S. Patent 2A021769 dated June 25, 1946.However with that bracketit is not quite; as easy to insert a mounting,screw through thefoot of the bracket asggit ,is with, the bracket shownin Patent. 2,298,832. ,Also, the bracket of my Patent 2,402,769 has asomewhat unconventional ap pea n ai v, i r i general object of thepresent invention is to, provide a Venetian blind hold-down construc--,

tion, including a hold-down bracket, which to a considerable degreerealizes the advantages of both the bracket of Patent 2,298,892 and thebracket of Patent 2,402,769. 7 Y

Among specific objects of, the invention are to provide .a hold-downbracket which maybe mounted on a window sill with all upwardly,-

projccting portions quite close to the jamb,

haslittle tendency tosnag clothing and cleaning A cloths, which issuitable for both left:

hand and" right-hand mounting, which is advantageous when the blind ismounted outside as well as inside, which is -inexpensive to pro class,which is ruggedin use, and which. may be advantageously manufactured asa one-piece sheet metal stamping. 1

, Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies ofmanufacture, installation and use will more definitely appearfrom the"detailed description to follo a My invention is clearly defined in theappended claims. In the claims, as well as in the description, parts areattimes identified by specific namesdor clarity and convenience, butsuch nomenclature isintended to be as generic, in its application tosimilar parts, as the concept of my invention in relation to thepertinent prior art will permit. The best form in which I havecontemplated applying my invention is illus trated in the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification, in which: l l

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation showing a window frame with aninside-mounted Venetian blind held down by brackets of the presentinvention mounted on the sill.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partially in section,

showing on a large scale one of the duplicate hold-down brackets shownin Fig. 1.

. izontal' trim piece [5 extends beneath the front.

indicatedin dot-dash lines.

i Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the bracket shown in Fig. ,2,thecooperating pin of the view of the bracket shown yFigi 6 is afragmentary sectional View on the v line 6--,-6of Fig. 5, the bottom barof the blind being indicated in dot-dash lines.

The windowframe t0 shown in Fig. 1 includes jambs at .H, ,l I, the facesof whichextendper-l pendicularly to the plane of the figure; The,bottoms of the jambs are connected by a sill '12. Vertical trim piecesI4, 14 extend across, and

beyond the front edges of the jambs, and ahorportion of thesill. Theparts ll,: l2, I4 and I5 are all, considered as being part of thewindowr frame.

sill does not, project into the room beyond the plane of; thewallsurface, and trim pieces such, as ,;-|4. Jld l51are, omitted.- Such a;window is;

Insome window constructions, the

shown fragmentarily in Figs. 5 and 6; and with such a window, the framethereof is considered to include a several inch wide wall zone whichembraces the window opening.

Suspended inside the window frame I0 is a Venetian blind designated as awhole by IS. The bottom bar or rail H of the blind is provided, byfittings or otherwise, with pins |8, H! which project from the endsthereof perpendicularly toward the faces of the jambs at II, II. Securedto the sill l2 are hold-down brackets l9, l9 which receive the pins andthereby hold the blind down.

The brackets |9, |9 are duplicates, each being of the form shown inFigs. 2, 3 and 14. Each bracket I9 is preferably formed as a one-piecesheet metal stamping. I prefer to stamp the bracket from mild sheetsteel, suitably plated or otherwise rust-proofed, either before or afterstamping.

The bracket l9 has a base which includes a body portion 2| and an armportion 2.2 extending therefrom. When the bracket is mounted on a .fiatsurface, both the body portion 2| of the base and the arm portion 22thereof engage the surface on which the bracket is mounted. The base iselongated, havingon opposite sides long edges 24 and 25. Body portion 2|of the base 'is provided with a hole 26 to receive a headed fastener,such as a screw 21 (Figs. 5 and 6), preferably a conventionalflat-headed screw. Struck from the base 20 are a pair of prongs 28., 28which penetrate the surface on which the bracket is mounted, therebypreventing swivel movement of the bracket about the mounting screw 27.Metal surrounding the hole 26 is embossed to form an upstanding annularrib 29. This rib stifl ens and strengthens the base and eliminates thenecessity forcountersinking to provide a seat for the tapered head of aflat-headed screw.

Arm portion 22 of the .base 2|? is also embossed to form an upstandingrib 30, this rib merging with annular rib 29. The rib 29 stiffens andstrengthens the arm portion 22, particularly in its connection to thebody portion 2| vof the base.

One edge of arm portion 22 coincides with edge of thebase. However, theopposite edge of arm portion 22 is aligned with a point substantiallyhalf way between edges 24 and 2.5. Extending from this edge of'armportion 22, and integrally connected with the arm portion, is a flatpin-retaining member 3|.

The pin-retaining member 3| is a fiat pieoeof 'sheet metal extendingperpendicularly to the general plane of base 20, the sheet formation ofmember 3| lying in a lane which is midway between two planes parallelthereto and containing, respectively, edges 24 and 25 of the base. Themember 3| is adapted to receive and retain a pin, such aS pin I8,projecting from the end of the bottom bar .of a blind. For this purposemember 3| is provided with a slot 32 as shown, to receive the pin. Theslot results in the pinretaining member 3| having a hook portion at 34.

Locating the pin-retaining member 3| as shown midway between edges 24and 25, imparts to the bracket two advantageous characteristics.Firstly, when mounted 'as shown in Fig. '1, the upwardly-projecting partof the bracket is spaced laterally from the side of the jamb by anamount which is only-half of the width of base 20. secondly,this'spacing is the'same whether edge 24 or edge 25 be placed againstthe face of the jamb. This not only permits the same bracket to bemounted either on the left-hand or righthand side of the window frame,but permits it to be mounted (on an inside mounting) with the hook 34either toward the room or toward the window.

Figs. 5 and 6 show the bracket installed for an outside mounting of theblind, the base 20 of the bracket beingsecured to the :face 35 of thewindow frame, and the pin-retaining member 3| projecting toward theroom. In these figures there is indicated a bottom bar 36 in the end ofwhich there is driven a gudgeon pin 31 which is received by theslot-.32.

It will be .noted that whether the bracket be used for an insidemounting or an outside mounting, it will be necessary to depress thebottom bar of the blind, stretching the ladder tapes, before the pin canbe inserted into the slot 32. Once the pin is inserted, the ladder tapesresiliently draw the pin to the blind end of the slot, therebypreventing accidental disengagement of the pin fromthe slot.

The bracket can be rapidly and economically stamped in one piece fromsheet metal, with a stamped.

Iclaim:

1. A Venetian blind hold-down bracket formed as a one-piece sheet metalstamping, said bracket comprising: a base including a body portion.having oppositely positioned longitudinal edges,

said base also including an arm portion extending from one end of thebody portion in-thesame general plane as the body portion, onelongitudinal edge of the armportion-being substantially in prolongationof the longitudinal center line of said body portion, a flatpin-retaining member disposed perpendicularly to said base and beingintegrally connected with said onelongitudinal edge of said arm portion,said pin-retaining member being provided with a pin-receiving slotextending upwardly and inwardly from that edge of the pin-retaininmember which is remote from the body portion of the base, the body por-'tion of the-base having a single holeto receivers headed fastener, theaxis of the .hole lying :on the longitudinal center line of the .bodyportion of the base and the metal surrounding .thehole being embossedinto an upstanding annu1ar;rib, metal of "the arm portion beingembossed'intoan upstanding rib extending lengthwiseuof the arm portionand merging tangentially with said annular'ri'b which surrounds the holethat receives the headed fastener, andat least one metal formation"extending downwardly from said base to engage the surface on which thebracket is mounted and oppose swivel movement of the bracket about afastener passing "through said hole.

2. A Venetian blind hold-down bracket formed as acne-piece sheet metalstamping, 'said bracket comprising: a base including a body portionhaving oppositely positioned longitudinal edges,

said base also including an arm portion extending from one end of thebody'portion in the same general plane as the body portion, onelongitudinaliedge-of the arm portion being substantially her beingprovided with a pin-receiving slot exthe base and the metal surroundingthe hole being embossed into an upstandingannular rib, metal of the armportion being embossed into an upstanding rib extending lengthwise ofthe arm portion and merging tangentially with said annular rib whichsurrounds thehole that receives,

the headed fastener.

i HARRY NELSON.

w 6 REFERENCES ormn The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,127,459 Laun Feb. 9, 19151,437,851 Lange Dec. 5, 1922 1,649,275 Acker Nov. 15, 1927 2,394,847Delegard -41.--- Feb. 12, 1946 2.4021769 Nelson June 25, 1946

